Pledge to

Share the story of Cat Shelter Felix and help raise funds for shelter repairs

This pledge closed over 1 year ago

How this will help

The time has come and we're now finally about to face our biggest challenge yet – the roof replacement! Thanks to a couple of generous donations, we have enough money to start the most important phase of the shelter repairs, although it's still uncertain how we'll finish it. Everything else aside, if we manage to replace the roof of the auxiliary rooms before the cold weather sets in, it would be the jewel of our efforts and your success as well!

Since the beginning of year, we've fixed three of the cats' rooms, thanks to a grant for shelter repairs we received last winter. The weather wasn't really on our side during the spring, so the indoor work was all that could be done. Considering that shelter repairs have been ongoing for more than a year now and that we've faced a myriad of unexpected problems so far, the possibility of reaching the final goal sounds both thrilling and scary. If we fail, everything will seem pointless. But if we succeed?

The biggest problem is that there are 117 kitties here that need to be taken care of while repairing the roof. Running a cat shelter has never been an easy task, but frankly, it's now becoming harder than ever. Many cats are sick with viruses and needing daily treatment; all of the shelter tenants have to be vaccinated against rabies as soon as they're able to withstand the vaccination; providing all of the cats with adequate food according to their age and health, plus necessary vet care costs a fortune! We're regularly not facing just one problem but several of them simultaneously, including major shelter repairs on top of everything else. Nothing of this would've been possible without your help and the plain and simple truth is that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something…

While raising funds for the roof replacement, we couldn't just sit idle, as there were plenty of minor issues that needed to be addressed. Fixing the hydrophore tank, placing new water pipes through the backyard and building new faucets are finally finished and an adequate water supply outside is ensured. Judging by the cats' behavior, a new water faucet in the backyard was indispensable and one might wonder how did they ever live without it. Most of the kitties spend their time sitting on it, guarding it, climbing on it, drinking from it, it seems they consider it to be the best toy ever.

The roof replacement will be costly, but before we even begin, a new concrete path between the front entrance into the backyard and garage has to be made and new columns need to be put in place in order to support the roof. The old path quickly turns into a muddy mess when it rains, so the cats that come out of the cat rooms step directly into the mud. Most importantly, the existing supporting structure is simply not able to bear the weight of the new roof as it's as old as the hills and wasn't even constructed properly in the first place. The roof overhang also needs to be extended in order to increase the base of support for the new roof and to protect the new path (and thus the entrances to the cats' rooms) below from the rain run-off. The larger the area the base of support covers, the more stable our new roof will be. Only then we can start replacing the roof that was made 50 years ago and has not been touched since.

I know that there are far too many animal shelters and sanctuaries in need of help and zillions of homeless animals everywhere but would you please consider donating towards the roof repairs at Felix shelter? Once that our biggest problem is solved and the new roof is in place, we can rest easier and all of our efforts and sacrifices will finally make sense. The greatest gift is a secure future, a safe and happy life and it's in your hands!

All of you know that Cat Shelter Felix is not just a shelter, it's also the only cat sanctuary in Serbia, a unique cat haven with plenty of open spaces where all of the rescued cats are provided with a lifetime of care in a cage-free environment. As none of the cats are, nor will be, put up for adoption, this is the only home they will ever have.

Please, help the Felix kitties face the coming winter without worrying that the roof will collapse in on them! It all comes down to love and it all depends on you!